Hostel 689CapsuleHotel&Coffee

The location was good, but we've stayed at better places in the city for the same price or less. The common area was definitely nicer than the very basic, old double room. Its bathroom was poorly designed and down in the basement. My partner was upset because paint ruined his $200 shoes and mine too. Shoes aren't allowed in the room, and guests are asked to leave them outside. The staff were painting without covering our shoes or moving them, and didn't seem to care about our belongings. We could only have kept them in the room if that had been allowed. I understand they were renovating, but painting until 11pm was too late for guests who wanted to rest, even in a hostel. I was also woken at 3am by people checking in and banging loudly for a long time. The hostel door was locked, and the receptionist didn't seem to know about it.

The capsule bunks were comfortable, the hostel was clean, and there was plenty of shared space. One part had soft seats, while another had tables and chairs that worked well for a laptop. The Wi-Fi was great, and the staff were nice. They stored my bags on the day I left. There's no kitchen, and despite the name, they don't serve coffee. It's right near Zhibek Zholy metro station, below the Lanzhou Noodles restaurant. There are lots of coffee shops nearby, including one open 24 hours, and also a Hopers Craft Beer Bar.

The shared spaces are really nice, and sleeping in the capsules was comfortable. The people working there were extremely helpful, thank you Madina! The location is handy too, with everything needed for a short stay in Almaty.

The shared bathroom had used towels sitting there for days, and the service was poor apart from Madina, who had the right attitude. One staff member was no help, and another banged on the door at 11:55 even though checkout was at noon. It’s hard to find the entrance because the listed address is useless. The entrance is actually on another road, Zheltoksan Street. For Yandex Taxi or GPS, it’s easiest to set the destination to Lanzhou Noodles next door. It’s in a basement and has nothing to do with coffee. The photo below shows the entrance from the road listed in the address. They offer free cancellation until 2 pm on arrival day and seemed to want me to cancel and pay directly. I later realized I’d lost my 10% discount.